New firefighters, fire engine and resolutions

On Dec. 30, the Falcon Fire Protection District hired nine full-time firefighters and four part-time firefighters. All firefighters are also certified as emergency medical technicians.The hiring of these additional personnel means that a minimum of three firefighter/EMTs will be on duty at each of FFPDís three staffed stations every day. The staffed fire stations are Station 1 (Meridian Ranch Boulevard/Stapleton Drive), Station 3 (Highway 24/Old Meridian Road), and Station 4 (Capital Drive north of Constitution Avenue).FFPD took delivery of its newest fire engine on Dec. 21. After it is equipped, it will go into service sometime in January. The engine was purchased as part of the districtís pre-existing plan to replace its aging fire apparatus.New Yearís resolutionsTurning the calendar page to January often inspires people to improve their lives, so why not improve personal and home safety as well? Here are 10 New Yearís resolution suggestions from the Falcon Fire Department.

1. Create and practice a home fire escape plan. Learn more at https://nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Safety-in-the-home/Escape-planning
2. Yield to emergency response vehicles when they are using lights and sirens. Remember this saying: ìPull to the right for sirens and lights!î
3. Create plans for evacuation and shelter-in-place scenarios, and make sure everyone knows them. (Donít forget pets and livestock!) For more information visit https://ready.gov/make-a-plan
4. Create emergency kits for humans and pets. Go to https://ready.gov/build-a-kit for a complete list of items to include.
5. Learn first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Those skills can save a life!
6. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly to ensure they are working properly.
7. Change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms at least once a year.
8. Replace smoke alarms older than 10 years and carbon monoxide alarms older than seven years.
9. Sign up for emergency alerts from the El Paso-Teller County 9-1-1 Authority. (These are different from Amber Alerts.) Go to https://elpasoteller911.org/246/Emergency-Notification-System to sign up or update existing profiles.
10. Call 9-1-1 for emergencies, not the fire department direct line. Crews may not be available to take the call, and that will delay the response.Fresh advice for an ongoing problemIn addition to pulling over for emergency vehicles responding to calls, Falcon firefighters want to remind residents that when fire apparatus blocks the road, it is for the safety of emergency crews and anyone they are helping. At traffic accidents, firefighters are trained to position apparatus to protect the crashed vehicles, the occupants of those vehicles and emergency personnel working at the scene. This usually entails blocking one or more lanes, and sometimes the entire road, until the accident has been cleared.Across the country, there have been many recent instances of fire apparatus being struck by other vehicles, some at high speeds. Had those large trucks not been positioned to protect the scene and had not taken the brunt of the impact, first responders and civilians would have been killed. Losing a fire engine to a crash is expensive, but it is better than losing lives. Recently, Falcon firefighters have reported close calls involving drivers who ignore warning lights, traffic cones or even the big, red fire engine blocking the road. These drivers have steered their vehicles through emergency cones set up to direct traffic away from the incident, cut dangerously close to apparatus and personnel; and even driven through the middle of accident scenes. These kinds of reckless actions endanger firefighters, EMS personnel and law enforcement officers, as well as the patient being treated on the other side of those warning indicators.Falcon firefighters are asking residents to heed these important safety tips to ensure everyoneís safety.
    • Slow down when approaching stopped emergency vehicles.
    • Follow the instructions of responders at the scene.
    • Do not drive through traffic cones, between apparatus, or through an emergency scene unless specifically instructed to do so by authorities.
    • Drive slowly around emergency crews and apparatus.
    • When passing an emergency scene, focus on the road ahead and not on what is happening.
    • Put the cell phone down when maneuvering through or around emergency scenes.
    • If a road is closed and an alternate route is necessary, be patient and understand that it is being done for safety reasons and not to inconvenience the public.
    The Falcon Fire Department wishes everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2019!Website: http://www.falconfirepd.orgFacebook: Falcon Fire DepartmentTwitter: @FalconFireDeptAlso on NextDoor.com
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